1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an animal tracking system, and, more particularly, to a deer movement analysis system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Deer hunters need to know not only where the game travels but also its traveling habits in regard to time. While some game may be stalked, the hunter, particularly if using limited range weapons such as a bow and arrow, generally has to wait for the game to come to him.
An effective method of hunting deer is to take a somewhat hidden position, generally elevated in a tree, along a path known to be traveled by the deer. The deer hunter takes a position ten or twenty feet in the air, but even with the best equipment, it is not pleasant to resist the coldest weather for more than a few hours. Additionally the hunter must remain substantially still for fear of being seen by the deer. Often the sport can be unrewarding unless the hunter's timing is right.
It is important that hunters not only know where the deer pass, but also at what time of the day they pass a particular location. The timing of the hunter depended upon mere guesswork or clues located along the trail. Deer are creatures of habit and tend to follow the same trail at approximately the same time each day. If the deer started their day close to the tree stand, it might pass there early in the morning. Conversely, if the deer started very far from this tree stand, it might not arrive there until evening.
The difficulties described above with respect to hunting deer are typical problems encountered with other game as well. The signs at the location will readily tell the hunter what type of animal passed that point.
In addition, it is of great interest to naturalists to study the habits of animals. While devices have been developed for studying animals in captivity, there is a great need for devices to study the time related habits of animals in the wild. There is a particular need to provide devices which will not upset the natural habits of game, yet allow detailed and accurate study of their time related habits.
Devices to study animals have been developed, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,911, to Hiroshi Hakatta et al., which describes an apparatus for automatically measuring the movement of an animal, within a defined area using an electric eye system. U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,473 to J. W. Kissel, describes an apparatus for measuring animal activity within a movable, cylindrical container. U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,282 to Ingle, describes a fatigue machine for rats.
None of the prior art described hereinabove satisfies the needs of determining the movement habits of animals in the wild.
What is needed in the art is a system for determining the traveling habits of animals in the wild without interfering with their natural activities.